Visible index systems

ABSTRACT

A visible index system including a panel, inserts removably attachable to the panel, and labels on which information can be typed or otherwise imprinted, provision being made for attaching the labels to the inserts.

3,778,914 Dec. 18, 1973 VISIBLE INDEX SYSTEMS [75] Inventor:

Alexander Patton Janssen, Bellair, Va.

X R 4 6 O 4 [73] Assignee: Datastrip Corporation,

Charlottesville, Va.

Oct. 13, 1971 Primary ExaminerRobert W. Michell Assistant Examiner.l. H.Wolff [22] Filed:

1 App] 188,743 Att0rneyStrauch, Nolan, Neale, Nies & Kurz [57] ABSTRACTA visible index system including a panel, inserts re- 52 us. 40/64 Rmovably attachable to the panel, and labels on which information can betyped or otherwise imprinted, provision being made for attaching thelabels to the inserts.

O5 3 1 b4 26 3a M 0 4 l m. 0m .0 Q. m mm C a S n e "u c u n u e u." H 6mm R a e "S i h e .mF UM M 55 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,529,926 Downs40/64 R X 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures VISIBLE INDEX SYSTEMS Thisinvention relates to index systems and, more particularly, to novel,improved, visible index systems.

In my U.S. Pat. No. 3,547,752, issued Dec. 15, 1970, I describe brieflya visible index system in which flexible, strip-like inserts aredetachably fixed to support members or panels by engaging inwardlyextending flanges at opposite sides of the panels in recesses formed inthe ends of the inserts. My issued patent deals more specifically with arelatively rigid assemblage from which individual inserts can beseparated as necessary and which is kerfed or scored so that it can befed through a typewriter or the like to imprint letters and othersymbols on the inserts.

I have now found that there are many applications of my novel visibleindex systems where plural inserts bearing identical information areneeded. As a single example, my visible index systems have been foundparticularly useful by banks to provide tellers with readily accessible,up-to-date information on overdrawn accounts, stolen checks, stoppayment orders, cashing privileges, etc. The same information, carriedby duplicate inserts, must be made available to a number of tellers inthis application of my system.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide novel,improved visible index systems of the general character just describedwhich are so constructed that the index strips may be more expeditiouslyprovided with the desired information in applications where the sameinformation is needed on more than one insert.

Generally speaking, I accomplish the foregoing and other importantobjectives of my invention by applying an adhesive to the exposedsurfaces of the inserts and by applying the requisite information tolabels which can then be fixed to the inserts by the adhesive. Thelabels are preferably supplied in pads of carbonless copy paper so thata number ofduplicate labels can be simultaneously prepared. The sheetsin the pad are perforated at appropriate intervals so that the finishedlabels can be detached and fixed to the inserts.

As indicated above, one advantage of this novel construction is that itsignificantly facilitates the preparation of inserts in applicationswhere duplicate inserts are needed. Other advantages of the presentinvention are: (a) a large information capacity in that a number ofinsert supporting panels can be easily incorporated in a loose-leafbinder type of arrangement; (b) the inserts are readily replaceable; and(c) the inserts and labels are inexpensive and can simply be thrown awayas the information on them becomes outdated and they are replaced.

Thus, my novel visible index systems are considerably superior to thoseheretofore proposed and exemplified by that shown in U.S. Pat. No.2,966,753 to Martin. The Martin and similar systems are characterized bylimited information storage capacity, high cost, expense and difficultyin updating stored information to keep it current, etc.

The primary object and certain important advantages and features of thepresent invention have been described above.

Other important objects and features and further advantages of theinvention will become apparent from the appended claims and as theensuing detailed description and discussion proceeds in conjunction withthe accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a visible index system in accord with theprinciples of the present invention;

5 FIG. 2 is a plan view of a panel or insert support employed in theindex system of FIG. 1, with inserts removably fixed to the panel;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an assemblage in which inserts of the typeshown in FIG. 2 can be supplied;

FIG. 4 is a section through FIG. 2, taken substantially along line 4-4of the latter Figure; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a pad in which labels of a type utilized in thesystem of FIG. 1 can be supplied.

Referring now to the drawing, FIG. 1 depicts an exstructed in accordwith the principles of the present invention. The main components ofsystem are a panel support or stand 12, a plurality of page-like panels14 detachably fixed to support 12 by a ring-type binder system 16incorporated in the latter, and one or more detachable index strips orinserts 18 affixed to each of the panels 14 and carrying a label 20 onwhich desired information is typed or otherwise imprinted.

Support 12, which is typically fabricated of sheet metal, includes aflat, large area body'22. A base 24, integrally formed at the loweredgeof body 22, supports the latter in an inclined position, making theinformation carried by labels 20 readily accessible.

The binder arrangement 16 is fixed to the middle of support body 22 in agenerally vertical orientation. The binder arrangement is ofconventional construction and will accordingly not be described indetail herein. Briefly, however, it includes a series of verticallyspaced apart, loop-type retainers 26. The retainers are adapted toextend through similarly spaced apertures 28 adjacent the inner marginsof panels 14 to affix the panels to support 12. The retainers can beopened for the insertion or replacement of panels by depressing one ofthe conventional operators 30 and closed to retain the panels in placeby elevating the operating levers.

As is apparent from FIG. 1, the arrangement just described provides avisible index system of high capacity and ready accessibility. A numberof panels 14 can be assembled to one support 12, and the panels can beeasily transferred from one side of support body 22 to the other toexpose the inserts on which the desired information is carried by labels20.

Referring now to FIG. 2, panels 14 include a main body 32, which may bemade from any material of sufficient strength to provide structuralintegrity such as thin cardboard, plastic, etc. Elongated ribs orstiffeners 34 are attached to the marginal or peripheral portions ofpanel body 32 on both sides thereof as by an appropriate adhesive.

The adhesive is applied in such a fashion that it fixes only the outerportion of the stiffener to the body of the panel, leaving the innermostportions of the stiffeners free. Thus, the inner portions of thestiffeners constitute flanges 37 which are engageable with cooperatingrecesses 38 in the ends of inserts 18 (see FIG. 4) to removably fix theinserts to either or both sides of the panels.

Finally, as already mentioned above, aperatures 28 are formed in eachpanel adjacent the inner margin thereof so that the panel can beremovably fixed to support 12 by binder mechanism 16.

emplary visible index system 10 embodying and con- Turning now to FIGS.3 and 4, for purposes of conve- ,nience and manufacturing economy,inserts 18 are preferably made up in multiples in an assemblage 40 whichtypically includes a first back ply or sheet 42 and a front ply or'sheet44. These plies are bonded together by an appropriate adhesive 46.

Two longitudinally extending score lines 48 are made through back layer42 of assemblage 40 adjacent the margins thereof. These score lines areconnected by transversely extending, spaced apart, score lines 50through both layers or plies 42 and 44 of the assemblage. Thecooperating score lines 48 and 50 segment the assemblage into inserts l8and'make the inserts readily removable from the assemblage.

As shown inboth FIGS. 3 and 4, the edge portions of the top insertassemblage ply 44 terminate short of score lines 48. The edge portionsand score lines both lie laterally beyond the edges of adhesive layer46. This arrangement produces the recesses 38 in the ends of the insertsl8.

Turning now to FIG. 4, an adhesive layer 52 is formed on the exposedsurface of the top or outermost ply 44 of assemblage 4d. The adhesive inthis layer, which may be of the moisture- (or pressure-) sensitive type,is utilized to attach the labels 20 to the inserts 18 after therequisite information has been typed or otherwise imprinted on thelabels.

The plies of the insert assemblage can be formed from any desired typeof material which is flexible and has structural integrity. The stifferweights of paper, thin cardboard, and various synthetics are allsuitable.

The inserts are removably fixed to panels 14 by flexing them so that thelower end portions 54 of the inserts provided by ply 42 can slide underthe flanges 37 at the opposite sides of panels 14. The inserts are thenreleased, allowing them to return to their original, flat configurationand engage the flanges 37 in recesses 38 to retain the inserts in place.When desired, the inserts can be removed by reversing the process.

Turning next to FIG. 5, labels 20 are preferably supplied as multiplesheet pads 55 of NCR carbonless copy paper to avoid smearing althoughpads with interleaved carbon paper can be employed if desired. Thesheets 56 are bound together at one marginal edge 57 of the pad andperforated at locations indicated by transversely extending lines 58 sothat the labels 20 can be easily separated from the pad.

The arrangement just described enables a plurality of duplicate labelsto be simultaneously prepared in a typewriter or by other method ofimprinting information onthem. The labels can then be readily separated.from the pads, the adhesive on the inserts moistened,

and the labels attached to the inserts. This can be done before or afterthe inserts are fixed to the supporting panels l4.

As will be apparent from the foregoing, both the labels and inserts arefabricated from relatively inexpensive materials, only relatively smallquantities of which are required. Furthermore, the inserts and labelsare manufactured by a relatively simple process; and the number of stepsinvolved is small. Accordingly, the inserts and the attached labels cansimply be discarded and replaced when the information on the labelsbecomes obsolete.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrativeand not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by theappended claims rather than by the foregoing description; and allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A visible index system comprising: a rectangular insert support meanshaving parallel facing flanges at opposite edges thereof; a plurality ofelongated rectangular inserts of a thin, flexible material, each of saidinserts being of sufficient length to span the support means, each saidinsert having recesses at the ends thereof and the flanges on the insertsupport means having means for selectively engaging said recesses,respectively, so as to removably affix said inserts to said supportmeans with one of the major surfaces of each said insert fully exposed;an adhesive free label having an information receiving surface ofgenerally the same width as the insert, said label being of a materialon which the information can be entered by a multiple copy producingtype of process; and means for attaching said label to said insert, saidlast-mentioned means being an adhesive layer on the exposed surface ofthe insert.

2. A visible index system as defined in claim 1, wherein each saidinsert consists of first and second members bonded together by anadhesive and wherein, at both ends of the insert, said members extendbeyond the adhesive and are engageable with the opposite sides of thesupport means flanges.

3. A visible index system as defined in claim 1, wherein said insertsupport means comprises a main body member and reinforcing strips at theopposite edges of said main body member on at least one side thereofwhich constitute the insert engageable flanges, the outer edge portionsof said reinforcing strips being fixed to the main body member to securesaid strips thereto and the inner edge portions being free of attachmentto said main body member.

1. A visible index system comprising: a rectangular insert support meanshaving parallel facing flanges at opposite edges thereof; a plurality ofelongated rectangular inserts of a thin, flexible material, each of saidinserts being of sufficient length to span the support means, each saidinsert having recesses at the ends thereof and the flanges on the insertsupport means having means for selectively engaging said recesses,respectively, so as to removably affix said inserts to said supportmeans with one of the major surfaces of each said insert fully exposed;an adhesive free label having an information receivIng surface ofgenerally the same width as the insert, said label being of a materialon which the information can be entered by a multiple copy producingtype of process; and means for attaching said label to said insert, saidlastmentioned means being an adhesive layer on the exposed surface ofthe insert.
 2. A visible index system as defined in claim 1, whereineach said insert consists of first and second members bonded together byan adhesive and wherein, at both ends of the insert, said members extendbeyond the adhesive and are engageable with the opposite sides of thesupport means flanges.
 3. A visible index system as defined in claim 1,wherein said insert support means comprises a main body member andreinforcing strips at the opposite edges of said main body member on atleast one side thereof which constitute the insert engageable flanges,the outer edge portions of said reinforcing strips being fixed to themain body member to secure said strips thereto and the inner edgeportions being free of attachment to said main body member.